Are you avoiding or delaying to quit smoking? If you think that the only disease contracted from smoking is lung cancer, you may be wrong.

Apart of lung cancer, cigarette smoking is also one of the leading cause of heart disease.

The chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco and cause:

* Hardening of the arteries

* Damage to cells that line coronary arteries and other blood vessels

* Increase in blood clotting.

* Decreased oxygen to the heart.

* Increased blood pressure and heart rate.

Also, one of the following diseases will increase the risk of having a heart attack:

* High Cholesterol (blocks arteries, including the arteries of the heart)

* High Blood Pressure (commonly referred to as hypertension)

* Diabetes (impairs circulation)

* Obesity

* Couch potatoism (otherwise known as a "sedentary lifestyle")

In other words, the above diseases will cause your arteries to be clogged with poisons and plague. As a result, your heart have to pump harder than normal to push blood to circulate your entire body. Assuming that your heart is already at work harder than normal, smoking is nearly a invitation for a heart attack or stroke.

It is even worse if one is overweight. The risk increases drastically. This is not some small minor health problems. Nor we are talking about the small percentage of having a heart attack or stroke and survive. The issue here is about potential DEATH. Cigarette is within your willpower and control to overcome.

Thus, diet and weight loss are also as crucial as also seeking help to quit smoking. Your life and the lives of your loved ones lies in risk at your own actions.

For every pound that you gain, or every time you smoke, you are putting yourself in greater risk to contract disease. The more you avoid or delay in quitting smoking, you are killing yourself more and more slowly by the day. The power to take responsibility to quit smoking lies within yourself, so start taking action today.